Inflatable game ball



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,305

G. R. JAcoBuS INFLATABLE GAME BALL Filed Feb. 14, 1927 INVENTOR B/.Jawvw UM/Lm 5.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED- STATES GEORGE R. JACOBUS, F HAWTHORNE, NEW JERSEY.

iNrLATABtE GAME BALL.

Application filed February 14, 1927. Serial No. 167,960.

This invention relates to inflatable balls and more particularly totypes of considerable size used in\ playing athletic games or sports,

such asl foot ball, basket ball, Volley ball and the like.

In ordinary balls of this character a leather casing of eitherelliptical or spherical shape is vprovided with an elongated slitconstituting .an opening through which a rubber sac or bladder may bepassed when in a deflated condition, the saine when entered being filledwith compressed airb any convenient means and the edges of the s itsecured in juxtaposition by some form of lacing or analogous device.

Although the outer surface of the casing is substantially smooth anduniform, as is highly desirable, the fastening means present a roughenedsurface objectionable in appearance and not infrequently damage thecuticle and nails of a players hand.

Furthermore the lacings at the closure not only present an unevensurface but become worn and break at inopportune times and in '25addition, the perforations in the casing through which the lacings passobviously weaken the casing very materially.

It is the purpose of the present invention to produce a ball or likecasing provided with a slit opening and having a fastening means bywhich the edges may be brought into intimate Contactin an exceptionallyrapid manner and without presenting any projections whatever.

A further feature is to provide re-enforcing flaps to the inner surfaceof the casing adjacent the slit and attach the closing means to suchflaps rather than directly to the edges of the slit, thus strengtheningin place of weakeiiing the casing.

Another object is to provide an inner flap interjacent the fasteningmeans and inflatable element or bladder whereby it is eicientlyprotected.

These several advantageous objects and others which-will become apparentas the description progresses, are accomplished by the novel andpractical arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illust-rated inthe accompan ing drawing, forming a material portion o this disclosure,and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a conventional type of foot ballembodying the invention. Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal sectionalview taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a similar enlarged transverse sectional view taken online3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the runner in detail.

The body of the ball consists of a casing 10 composedof several sectionsunited at their edges by closely drawn strong seams 11, the preferredmaterial being grain leather.

Intermediate the length and breadth of one of the casing sections is aInarrow elongated opening 12, its width being somewhat exaggerated in theviews for the purpose. of clarity, and at one end of the opening is arelatively short transverse slit 13 permitting the casing materialopposite the end of the opening to be slightly raised, as at 14, for apurpose further on apparent.

A pair of opposed flexible leathertabs 15 are secured by rows ofstitches 16, to the inner side of the casing, the tabs being arranged inparallel to the opening 12, at their outer edges and an inner flap 17 ofconsiderably greater area is held by a single row of stitches 18 alongone edge to 'extend completely over the tabs 15 and opening.

This inner flap acts as a protective cushion against which the innerinflatable element or bladder 19 is pressed when distended with airsupplied in the usual manner.

Fixed to the inner adjacent edges of the tabs 15 are the opposedelements of an interlocking fastener 20 the saine being engaged ordisengaged by the passageof a slider 21 having a lower re-entrantly bentportion 22 and containing in its upper portion a recess 23 into whichmay be entered a hook 24 carried at the end of a manually operablehandle 25.

The hook 24 is adapted to pass between the edges of the opening 12,engage the slider recess and draws or pushes the slider 21 in the act ofopening `and closing the fastener elements, which it will be noted arebelow the surface of the casing.

The purpose of the slit 13 is now seen as permitting the insertion ofthe hook below the material at the final'closing of the fastener or intlie initial opening of the same.

In carrying out the invention the parts are so proportioned andpositioned that the edges of the opening 12 will be substantially incontact, presentin a Smooth surface below which the fastener e ementsand slider are operatively enfraged and, as all the mentioned parts areflexible, the casing will retain its rotundity when closed.

It is to be noted that no metal parts come in Contact with the innerinflatable element and that the exterior of the ball is maintainedsubstantially smooth and unbroken, providing a covering of unusualstrength and effectiveness, which can be instantly applied and asspeedily removed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple device for this purposehas been disclosed in the preferred form of its embodiment, but it isnot desired to restrict the details to the exact construction shown, itbeing obvious that changes, not involving the exercise of invention, maybe made without conflicting with the scope ofthe appended claim. Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure byLetters An inflatable game ball comprising a cas-l ing having a slit, abladder entrable through tabs and fasteners, a slider movable over saidf fastener devices, and a pocket in said casing to receive and concealsaid slider. y

, Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New Yorkthis 27th day Yof December A. D. 1926.

GEGRGE R. JACOBUS.

